What has permies .com done for you?

Hi All,
Often times, people have a significant impact on others without ever knowing it. I'm sure Paul knows that he has impacted others, but I'd like to make a thread to give him a smile or two and remind him that Permies does some pretty great things (despite all the headaches it probably comes with too).

We do need to keep it at a reasonable length, so let's limit ourselves to 3 things.

1. Permies.com gave me a community during some pretty hard times
2. Permies.com has exponentially increased my knowledge of gardening, livestock, permaculture, homesteading, and so much more
3. Permies.com has, with the knowledge, given confidence to expand my garden, chickens, business, and more

Thanks for all you do to keep Permies going Paul!

This is an incredible community that I am thankful to be a part of. There really isn't anything close to it that I have been exposed to.

1. Permies.com has helped me learn to communicate in a respectful, intentional way. The global presence and perspectives have really widened my horizons.

2. Permies.com has helped me challenge myself to rise up the Wheaton Eco Scale.

3. Permies.com has allowed me to meet some incredibly kind folks. I consider quite a few of you to be friends that come to mind as I do things! "How might Chris approach this?" or "Would Pearl think this  is interesting?"

1) Really, having a community online to be a part of where I get to know the regulars and they me is the single highest-value payoff. I'm not a social person in-person and I need something like this. And the way that everyone has their particular interests and together we weave a tapestry of experience is pretty great.

2) SKIP is great. I'm not really looking to inherit property so I'm not powerfully motivated to stay on top of it, but it lays out a big list of things I might want to learn, if not because I want to inherit property, just because I want to know how to do things.

3) I belong to a bunch of more or less narrowly defined online groups and forums and whatever. The multidisciplinary nature of Permies keeps me engaged, both learning and sharing. I can talk (or read) about gardening and knitting and cooking and fermenting and alternative energy and chicken-keeping and equipment and on and on, with people who know more and less than me about any given subject. So it's more of a one-stop shop.

Permies has given me:
-a hole to throw all my wood scraps, branches, and organic waste that magically transformed my garden from a clay bog into the envy of the neighborhood (hugel beds!)

-barrels full of water when everyone else is dealing with water rationing (rainwater catchment)

-lower power bills (heating and cooling the person, not the space)

-plenty of great meals when I have those Big Questions like "what do i do with 50 pounds of daikon radishes" or "i have too many bananas"

and most importantly, almost limitless justification for buying new tools, seeds, plants, and cute fuzzy pets, I mean manure producers and organic waste disposal units (rabbits, worms, bugs, larvae, birds, etc).

I forgot the most important thing!!! I have birds and bugs that nobody else does. My daughter the bug specialist has brought so many oddball bugs to her lab from my yard for ID. Many of them are not supposed to be where we live, but somehow are in my urban garden, because we're providing good habitat with no gick. I love having a super resource for gick alternatives at a time when many people just assume gick is inevitable.

I found permies originally through a rabbithole search about heating my office with a candle and a flowerpot, if I'm not mistaken. I haven't built my rocket stove yet, but it's coming. I love having a place where the ideas are limitless and also where i'm neither the crunchiest, the purplest, the hoardiest or the most outside-the-box person in the room. Where I can say "hey i found the best broken umbrella" and you all will understand what I'm saying.

Permies has given me:

Like minded friends all around the world - the knowledge that I am not alone in what I am trying to do.

The incentive and knowledge to move one, maybe two steps up the Wheaton eco scale

The satisfaction in believing that by playing on the internet posting on permies I am helping make the world a better place (one click at a time!)

1. A place where I can share and document some of my weird experiments, projects, and ideas
2. A place where I can get nonjudgemental and constructive criticism on everything in #1 above.
3. A place where I can share what limited knowledge I have about stuff and (hopefully) help someone through one of their weird experiments, projects, or ideas.

But most importantly, Permies has given me a valuable resource on the internet where I can find information I can trust.
And one I can share with friends and family members who dislike the conventional social media platforms and all the nonsense that comes with them.

Since 2016, I have learned about Permaculture Design and all its functions.

I have learned about the benefits of mushrooms from building soil to building health, not to mention they taste good.

I already knew about leaf mold and the benefits of compost though I learned about the benefits of wood chips.

Those are just a few of the many things I have learned from the folks here on the forum.

Permies.com and the lovely people that hang out here...

...have provided knowledge, ideas and support on my way to become a rocket scientist.

...still teach me to be more gentle.

...make me feel like my way of living isn't as odd as the neighbors think.


Thank you Permies and thank you Paul!

What I love the most about permies is that I can ask a weird, crazy, obscure, interesting, important question (pick any descriptor or add your own mentally), and I will get more diverse answers and possibilities than I could ever have thought up on my own.

And *all* those answers will be polite and thoughtful and nice.

In a world under increasing stress and pressure, permies focus on solutions we can do ourselves, in our own backyards (or front yards, side yards, or in our homes or apartments).

We are a community with no walls or barriers and we welcome everyone (except spammers - they can go spam elsewhere - just hit the report button if you spot one).

If anything, I'd like to reverse that question: what have you done for permies? Write good posts? Start interesting threads? Participate in the SkIP program? Suggest a few good threads for the Dailyish? There are so many ways we can contribute and encourage others to explore ways to support Mother Nature while putting food on our table and shelter over our head.

What a lovely thread.

Permies allows me to imagine a world where most people are homesteaders and permaculture enthusiasts.

Like others, I often wonder what this or that member would say, even if I don't come here often to post about my ideas. This is the kindest and most coherent community. I should probably post to the "you know you're a permie when..." thread more often, instead of just thinking about it ;)

It showed me many ideas which are now my goals.

I remember coming to Permies looking for information about growing comfrey.  Everything I read said that once it got dropped I. The ground I should get out of the way or be impailed by its rapid growth.  I was looking for specific, technical information.  And while I got that, I got this community that I have grown to love.  There is genuine camaraderie that simply doesn’t exist on other sites.  Combine that with excellent technical and experiential knowledge and Permies is a truly special place.  

As others have mentioned, I found Permies during a particularly difficult time of my life.  My insomnia was consuming me wholesale and my career was on the edge of tatters.  I had so many people telling me what I *should* do, what I was doing wrong or just thought that they had the solution, that it was obvious and I was just being stubborn.  At Permies I had a community who simply listened.  

And along the way Permies radically changed the was I garden.  I won’t even start a garden until I can get a supply of wood chips.  And now I preach the merits of mushrooms in the garden!

Permies has done so much for me that I can’t really make a list here, but it is indeed a very important part of my life.  By now I really just want to see how much I can give back to the community.


Eric

Thanks for teaching my mom how to be an awesome scout leader, Paul!

And for letting my family stay in your sigma underground cabin and make good memories.

And for letting us make slushies at your house

My Dear Paul. Permies.com and your SKIP program have given me the awareness and skills I needed to be the OG Homestead Badass I always wanted to be. 👩‍🌾🦆🐇🦃🌻🐝🌾🥕🫛🫘🫜🍄🪵

It fills my bucket whenever someone refers a friend to me because they want to learn an old school skill like foraging, soap making, gardening, composting poo, hide tanning, or spinning yarn. I learned most of those things on permies.com or at your place. I took all of that home and made a Better World In My Backyard.

Even though this mushy stuff isn't your favorite thing, I want to tell you that: because you hired me as a cook, I was able to feel wanted and appreciated in a way I don't get to experience often in the thank-less mom role. Conversations with you helped me remember I have valuable skills. People look up to me now in this space. I have things to share because of your work 🥰. That means everything to me.

Thanks, Paul.

Hey, Rebekah that mushy stuff is easier to take with a double scoop of ice cream on the side!!

Peace

Thank you, Paul and fellow Permies for helping me to become a better steward of planet Earth and a more thoughtful human being. I can't list all the things I've learned here. I keep spreading the word!

Permies gives EVERYONE the grand opportunity to come here to be thrilled, have your mind expanded, read incredibly interesting things even if they are not one's areas of interest. It really, truly is a mind blowing experience.

No, I did not write this as a giant sucking up just to get a piece of pie. Every word is my true feeling. Everyone knows I am making an accurate description because JUST CONSIDER the VAST RANGE of unbelievably interesting topics.

And if you spent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 1/4 days a year there would still be vast quantities untouched!!!

I can't explain why I don't come here more often other than being super busy.

Thanks PERMIES!!!

-AWE
at the vast knowledge, experience, creativity, and daring of the people here.

-COMFORT
that I am not the only one who shits in a bucket and dumps it in the back yard to eventually fertilize a jungle of god-knows-what.

...among other "strange" things!

-HOPE
that because YOU PEOPLE GET IT, we might, collectively, be able to turn things around.

I know it sounds overly dramatic, but the fact is Permies changed my life.
I found Permies looking for a better way to water. The hugelkultur post reeled me in and hooked me.
Permies changed my whole perspective. I realized all changes in the right direction are worth the effort no matter how small.
Permies is the only site I visit regularly. I love the amazing smart creative people who post here. I trust the advice given, and appreciate the comradely, compassion, and knowledge I find on Permies. I enjoy sharing my knowledge, and having a place I can share my projects.
Thank you Paul for creating a site that is changing the world in a positive way one small change at a time. Thanks to everyone who continues to make this site easy to use, positive, kind and informative. You have my undying gratitude.